Is Luis Suarez's professional football career over? It appears so, should his sponsor Adidas decide to punish the Liverpool player in line with the four-month ban the latter received from FIFA for biting Italian player Giorgio Chiellini during a World cup match.
Adidas, who is also one of the major sponsors of FIFA, has been noted to be mulling over its partnership with the Uruguayan striker after being banned for nine international matches and from all of football for four months. Daily Mail said senior Adidas officials were reportedly engaged in an emergency meeting on Thursday following the ban issuance to work out a position on the controversial football player. It has been said that Adidas has already dropped Suarez from all of its commercial activities for the rest of this year's World Cup and has already planned high-level talks with the player and his representatives at the end of the tournament.
In a statement, the sports apparel company said, "Adidas fully supports FIFA's decision. Adidas certainly does not condone Luis Suarez's recent behavior and we will again be reminding him of the high standards we expect from our players. We have no plan to use Suarez for any additional marketing activities during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. We will discuss all aspects of our future partnership directly with Suarez and his team following the World Cup."
Several of Suarez's sponsors are also believed to be reviewing their business partnerships with the soccer player. Daily Mail's Sportmail revealed that an address earlier this year indicated how Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre was feeling optimistic about Suarez's onfield conduct and praised sports psychologist Steve Peters for his work with the player. The Merseyside club shirt sponsor Standard Chartered and kit manufacturer Warrior Football are also working on their opinion regarding the ban on Suarez, although there have been no confirmation from the two.
Ayre has since issued a statement regarding the ban and said, "Liverpool Football Club will wait until we have seen and had time to review the FIFA Disciplinary Committee report before making any further comment."
